I grew up in Alton, Illinois. This Midwestern upbringing in the 1960s and 1970s has been fueling some of my writing projects. My biographies on Elijah Lovejoy and Robert Wadlow, for example, are "hometown-inspired" projects. I don't limit myself to my own backyard, but you often can find ​great stories right under your nose.

I've been able to try many fun and interesting things so far in my life. For example, I started out reporting on crime and court stories, hanging out in police labs before shows like CSI made crime investigation so popular. I've ridden in helicopters while doing public relations for an aircraft manufacturer and watched surgeries as part of my health care work.

​My husband and I have always been big on travel, going near or far depending on the time and money we have. We have two children and a cockatiel named Jessica who insists on having her head rubbed every chance she gets. Our family loves exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest (yes, we've been to Forks, Washington, home of the famous Twilight series), nearby Canada and the Western states. But travel has also taken me to several other parts of the U.S., as well as England, Scotland, Italy, Greece, Australia, China, Japan and Vietnam. I hope to see more of the world when I can!